Minced Meat and Meat Preparations (Hygiene) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

General conditions for the marketing of meat preparations

8.—(1) Subject to paragraph (4), a person shall not consign or sell for consignment to an EEA State, or a third country, for human consumption any meat preparation unless—

(a) it has been produced in premises approved under regulation 4;

(b) where it is derived from pigmeat, such meat has been examined for trichinae (trichinella spiralis) or has undergone the appropriate treatment as described in Council Directive 77/96/EEC;

(c) where the meat from which it is derived has been deep frozen, such meat has been used within, in the case of beef and veal, 18 months of slaughter, in the case of sheepmeat, goatmeat, poultrymeat, rabbit meat and farmed game meat, 12 months thereof and, in the case of other meat, 6 months thereof;

(d) where it is packaged and presented chilled, it has been cooled as quickly as reasonably possible to an internal temperature below—

(i) 2°C where it contains minced meat;

(ii) 7°C where it contains fresh meat;

(iii) 4°C where it contains poultry meat; and

(iv) 3°C where it contains offal;

(e) where it is packaged and presented deep frozen, it complies with the conditions specified in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Quick-frozen Foodstuffs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990;

(f) it has been produced in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 5;

(g) it has been checked in accordance with the relevant provisions of paragraph 1 of Schedule 6;

(h) it has been labelled and given a health mark in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 7;

(i) it has been wrapped and packaged in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 8 and stored in a cold store in accordance with the appropriate requirements of Schedule 9;

(j) it has been transported in accordance with the appropriate requirements of Schedule 10; and

(k) it has not been treated by ionising radiation, save where this has taken place for medical purposes.

(2) Subject to paragraph (4) a person shall not consign or sell for consignment to an EEA State, or to a third country, for human consumption meat preparations (other than fresh sausages and sausage meat) containing pre-prepared minced meat of bovine animals, pigs, sheep or goats unless such minced meat satisfies the requirements of regulation 7(1).

(3) A person shall not sell for human consumption in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands any meat preparation produced in Northern Ireland unless—

(a) it has been produced in premises approved under regulation 4 or in registered premises which comply with the requirements of Schedule 2 or, in the case of independent premises, Schedule 3, as appropriate;

(b) it has been produced in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 1 and 2(b) of Schedule 5;

(c) it has been checked in accordance with the relevant provisions of paragraph 1 of Schedule 6;

(d) it has been stored in a cold store in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 4 and 5 of Schedule 9, or, where it is unpackaged, in a licensed cold store; and

(e) it has not been treated by ionising radiation save where this has taken place for medical purposes.

(4) Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to meat preparations originating in an EEA State or third country, save that such meat preparations shall be handled and transported in accordance with these Regulations.

(5) A person shall not affix the health mark to any meat preparation which does not satisfy the requirements specified in paragraph (1).